Written by

Sam Strong

The Reporter Media

:

Sutures close the wound in the chest of a pony at the Free SPIRIT Riders therapeutic riding center on Highway 23 East of Fond du Lac.. / Patrick Flood/The Reporter

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A 35-year-old Fond du Lac man was cited for allowing his dog to run at large after the pit bull attacked a group of horses on the grounds of a local non-profit organization, a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office official said.

Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mark Strand said he was not naming the owner of the dog Wednesday afternoon because the report was not complete. According to a sheriff’s office news release, the dog died from injuries after being kicked by the horses at Free SPIRIT Riders, W3950 Highway 23 east of Fond du Lac.

Strand said the owner was taken into custody on an unrelated warrant and was given the citation at that time. The report is expected to be completed by Thursday afternoon, he said.

Free SPIRIT Riders is a non-profit organization that offers people with disabilities therapy through riding and grooming horses.

Wounds vary

A loose dog ran into a pasture Monday afternoon and attacked half of the 12 horses there. Some of the animals were bitten multiple times and wounds ranged from scratches to bites that required 57 stitches to close. Three veterinarians from Waupun treated the injuries.

Although the dog viciously attacked the horses, Strand said the dog was fine around humans prior to the attack. Remains of the dog have been sent to a state lab for rabies testing.

“The dog got loose from next door and all of a sudden it’s (attacking),” Strand said. “It’s really unfortunate for everyone involved.”

A citation for an animal running at large costs $250. Strand also said the dog had no record of vaccinations.

Mark Williams, one of the veterinarians who responded to the attack, said the scene scared him when he arrived.

“It was really chaotic,” Williams said.

Williams said the horses should all recover. If the dog was rabid when it bit the horses, Williams said there would be different treatment plans implemented.

“I got the call and they were really shook up,” Williams said. “At the time I was at another call about 45 minutes away so I finished up what I was doing and headed straight to the (stables).”

Horses recovering

Classes at Free SPIRIT Riders are canceled through the end of the week, but Executive Director Mary Narges said the horses are recovering.

“The horses are actually doing quite well,” she said. “They’re healing nicely and everyone will survive. I’m expecting that we will be back to our mission very soon.”

Although the organization has insurance, Narges anticipates it will have to pay a substantial out-of-pocket amount for veterinary bills.

“We do have insurance, but the costs canceled classes and the vet bills are going to be pretty hefty,” Narges said.